CULTURAL NOTES FOR CYCLAMEN HEDERIFOLIUM AND COUMThe following notes were prepared by my friend Helena Weisner from
her many, many years of experience with hardy Cyclamen.

1. IntroductionCyclamen hederifolium and C.coum are extremely tolerant
to a wide range of soil conditions and positions and can grow well under
trees and in similarly "difficult" places. C. hederifolium
flowers in late Summer/early Autumn and C. coum in the early part
of the year, providing welcome colour at that time of the year. Their
leaves are attractive in their own right and provide valuable ground cover.
The plants naturalise well and once established can survive for many years
through the toughest weather. They can also be grown very satisfactorily
under glass producing a mass of flowers. They are therefore extremely
versatile and rewarding for both the amateur and enthusiast.

2. Recommended potting period.The tubers will be dug up in late June and July when they die back
for the summer and before the main growth starts (though some tubers may
show signs of growth). It is advisable to pot them up as soon as
possible after receipt. Alternatively, they may be sold as bare tubers,
but this can, on occasion, prompt them into dormancy and they then take
a little longer to establish themselves.

3. CompostCyclamen are tolerant of a wide range of potting composts, the major
requirement being that it is free-draining. A mix of equal parts
peat, sterilised loam and grit (5mm down) has proved very satisfactory,
adding about 4oz bonemeal to every 8 gallons or so of this mix.
Proprietary soil-less composts can be used but it is advisable to mix grit,
coarse sand or perlite with it to improve drainage and to add a little
in the way of nutrients.

4. Growing regimeThe tubers should be potted in the mix above on receipt with the
roots distributed in the medium and the top of the tuber just exposed.
The pot should be topped off with a layer of 4mm or so grit taking it right
to the rim of the pot. Water the pots in well with a mix of Rovral
or other proprietary chemical. Subsequent watering is then best done
from the bottom keeping the compost damp but not wet. Assuming that
the tubers have been potted into 9cm plastic pots (see below), watering
is best achieved by standing the pots on shallow beds of grit-sand and
allowing the water to stand for an hour about half an inch up the pot.
Drain after an hour.

Note that cyclamen can be grown successfully watering from the top;
perhaps what is most important is to decide which route is to be taken
and then to stick with it.Cyclamen need ample ventilation but both hederifolium
and coum are able to withstand considerable cold. It's perfectly
satisfactory to keep the pots outside, though the plants may present better
for sale if they're kept under cover. It is not necessary to provide
heat in the winter unless extremely severe frosts threaten.

5. Pest and disease controlBy and large, cyclamen are pretty trouble-free. The most serious
pest is vine weevil and if the characteristic bites nibbled out of the
leaves are spotted, immediate steps should be taken to get rid of the pest
(using SusCon Green or Nemasys H). Infected plants should be eliminated
from the stock. Good housekeeping in removing dead leaves in and
around the plants should help to prevent infestations.

Larvae of sciarid flies can also be a problem and can be controlled
with gamma-HCH or malathion. Aphids may occasionally visit the plants
but cause relatively little damage and can be controlled with any of a
range of sprays.

Slugs and snails should be controlled using slug bait and removing
any debris around the plants.

Squirrels and mice may dig up the tubers or nibble at seed pods -
mouse killer and wire mesh doors can keep any harm to a minimum.

Botrytis is the most common disease affecting cyclamen - good ventilation
and hygiene is crucial. Spraying with Rovral, Captan, Zineb etc will
control the disease. Any dead leaves must be removed from the plants
as a matter of routine.

6. Ideal pot sizeC. hederifolium tubers will be an inch or more in diameter, C. coum
three-quarters of an inch or more and should be potted into 75 to 90mm
pots. Cyclamen often flower better if under-potted so even the larger
tubers supplied should go into this size of pot or one which just takes
the tuber.

7. Flowering period/promotional period

C. hederifolium normally produces its flowers ahead of its leaves and
these will start to emerge in late summer or early autumn. Some plants
will start to flower as early as July or August, others will do so through
September. The leaves which then follow are attractive in themselves
and remain on the plant through to May or even June. C. coum leafs
up in autumn and winter with flowers emerging from about January to March
- though depending on the season both leaves and flowers can be present
much earlier.